Customer Reviews

This month's Thailand bargains

Here are the latest initiatives
delivered by Thailandâ€'s travel industry to help kick-start recovery. If
your company has a bargain that needs sharing, forward details to us
for this weekly update.

â€¢ Hotels Mega Sales 2009 from 26 to 29
March at Siam Discovery Centre in Bangkok. It is the first event
organised by the Thai Hotels Association, which will have 40 booths for
hotel members. Special discounts of more than 50% will be offered.
Targets domestic travellers during school summer holiday in April and
October.

â€¢ Thai International Travel Fair 2009 will be held
from 26 February to 1 March at Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre
from 1000 to 2000. It is jointly hosted by Thai Travel Agents
Association, Association of Domestic Travel, Krungthai Card and Thai
Amadeus in response to Thai Government policy to boost tourism business
and Thai economy.

â€¢ Thai Cabinet. together with the Olympic
Council of Asia, will host the 1st Asian Martial Art Games 2009, 25
April to 3 May. TAT has been appointed as theÂ head of the Committee
for Public Relations. http://sat.or.th

â€¢ Ayutthaya Boat and
Travel launches a teakwood boat dinner cruise on the Chao Phraya River.
The 90-minute cruise carries 20 passengers per trip. Private charter
tours and join-in trips with four dining menus. The price is quoted at
Bt750 per person for the join-in trip and Bt2,000 per hour for a
private charter trip. www.ayutthaya-boat.com

â€¢ One-Two-Go
Airlines is giving discounts on fares to all of its domestic
destinations â€" Phuket, Chiang Mai and Hat Yai. The best fare is Bt1,750
one way, all inclusive. Other fares are Bt1,950 and Bt2,050 subject to
availability. Senior citizens and government officials get another
Bt100 off.

â€¢ SGA Airline plans to upgrade its four weekly
services between Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son to an air shuttle services
departing every hour as frequently as every 30 minutes depending on
market demand. The fare would run between Bt1,600 and Bt1,800 per
sector.

â€¢ Thailand Travel Mart Plus is scheduled to be held on 3
to 7 June. A briefing for buyers and sellers will be arranged on the
opening day at Central Worldâ€'s Bangkok Convention Centre. The actual
four-day mart will take place at the Challenger Hall, Muang Thong Thani
Impact Arena Exhibition and Convention Centre. Trade days will be from
4 to 5 June. Consumer days follow, 6 to 7 June, as well as post-tour
days for buyers and media. Deadline for booking a booth is 31 March.
Applications for participation can be submitted at
www.thailandtravelmartplus.com.

â€¢ Thailand Super Deal campaign
runs until March this year and will be upgraded to the annual Amazing
Thailand Grand Sale, held from June to August, with additional discount
features. TAT will support public relations and advertising with a Bt60
million budget, up from last yearâ€'s Bt10 million. Most of the deals are
focusing on travellers from Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

â€¢
Two rail links, one is the new Suvarnabhumi International Airport Rail
Link that will shorten the transfer time between Bangkok city centre
and Suvarnabhumi Airport to around 15 minutes.Â The airport train
should start operations 12 August. The other is a new rail link that
extends the line from Nong Khai across the Friendship Bridge to
Vientiane in Laos.Â It should be operational in March.

â€¢ Private
companies joining TATâ€'s road shows and domestic travel fairs will gain
10 to 50% discounts on registration and booth fees for booths at travel
fairs where TAT has a presence.

â€¢ Krungthai Card Public Company
is offering free marketing channels to tourism-related companies. It is
offering the programme in cooperation with the TAT, Thai Travel Agents
Association, Association of Domestic Travel and Thai Hotels
Association. Participating companies will receive support for
recreational travel activities through all KTC marketing channels,
including its monthly magazine â€œWhatâ€'s Upâ€ sent to 2 million KTC
members; its travel website www.ktcworld.co.th with more than 150,000
monthly visits;Â a magazine â€œMy worldâ€ sent to 55,000 KTC credit card
members and radio media at 98.5 Good FM. It will also allocate a
special budget to promote this project in leading newspapers in
Thailand.

â€¢ Koh Phangan Tourism Promotion Association, Koh Tao
Tourism Association and Phangan Triathlon Association are hosting the
Second Phangan Triathlon, 14 to 15 March at Thong Sala beach. The
registration fee is Bt1,000 per person except for Age 15 and under;
Bt500. Final registration date is 13 March. www.phangantriathlon.com